


Reverse

by YurikoNeko (AlaxxisSade)



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Butler, Gen, Oneshot, Role-Reversal, demon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-22
Updated: 2011-11-22
Packaged: 2018-02-16 18:32:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2280276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlaxxisSade/pseuds/YurikoNeko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Each demon to his own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reverse

“…And at half past 5, you will have an audience with Master George Therinford.”

                When Ciel first heard Sebastian intoning that part of his schedule that morning, his first thought was, _This was going to be interesting._

It wasn’t. Yet. But young Earl Phantomhive was not daunted. He saw plenty of potential in the pair before him. This afternoon was not to be lacking in entertainment.

                “…As I was saying, we would appreciate it greatly if you, Earl were to—Earl? Earl?”

                “Yes?” grunted Ciel. Sebastian would be smirking, he knew, at his embarrassment for being caught off guard.  “I’m listening.”

                “Well, I never said you weren’t.”

                The young man George Therinford’s sneer resembled Sebastian’s familiar own, and Ciel felt a stab of annoyance. Therinford was a youngling of two and twenty, and was in the line to inherit his father’s successful shipping company. There was, Ciel reflected, a difference between these up and coming merchants compared to England’s thoroughbred nobles, despite the equality in wealth. Therinford was arrogant, not pausing to even scan the room for dangers before entering, ill-befitting of a man his stature. Any man of importance should very well know the risks threatening their physical well-being that came with being in the middle of the limelight.  As it was, too many were too preoccupied with basking in it.

                But perhaps, Therinford’s utter disregard of safety was due to the black-clothed figure by his side. Ciel’s attention might have been on the master, but Sebastian’s gaze never left the servant.

                They retired to the garden for an early dinner, having come to an agreeable decision ahead of schedule. The twilight rays threw the wide lawn into lukewarm luminescence, the scarlet sun dying the trees orange. The masters chatted lightly over appetizers, but Ciel quickly grew bored of the meaningless chatter. With just a hint of a smile curling the corners of his mouth, he tilted his head at Sebastian.

                The butler in black bowed low.

                “Excuse me.”

                Faster than a blink, he was beside Therinford’s servant, startling the latter into spilling the tea.

                “It may be impudent of me to ask—but who are you?”

                The other servant blinked, then pursed her lips. “I am the Therinford butler.”

                “Then you disgrace your uniform, your rank and your badge.” Sebastian’s velvet voice remained pleasant, his expression level. “To spill the tea so—can only be the folly of a maid. A woman.”

                The Therinford butler blinked, as though dumbstruck, then quickly rearranged her features into cold indifference. “Say what you must. Your opinions mean little to nothing to me.”

                “Ah, but what does it say about your master?” Sebastian shook his head in exasperation. “For such a renowned family to own such an appalling domestic… The Therinford name must not be as much as it’s made up to be--”

                “Azazel,” said George Therinford suddenly and sternly, for it seemed as though the girl butler was about to throw herself at Sebastian. “We are the guests; we cannot repay our gracious hosts with such ingratitude.” And then, to Ciel, “But Your Excellency, I’m afraid I cannot let this pass either. Your servant has just insulted not only my butler, but me, and my forefathers before me.”

                “I understand,” smiled Ciel with a wave of his ringed hand. “This is a servants’ dispute; let the servants settle this. Are we agreed?”

                “Yes, very much so.” With a slight inclination of his head, George Therinford initiated the battle.

Both butlers disappeared in a flash of black, only to clash directly above the table with a clink of steel, separating and clashing again. Faced with this inhuman display of strength and agility, both employers ensued with their meal, discussing politics and weather and anything in between. Seconds passed, minutes… Neither fighter had once touched the ground, or if they did, they had lifted into the air again faster than the naked eye could follow. The food was finished, glasses drained. And it was only when the last dreg had been wiped clean that both butlers reappeared, cool and calm as though they’d never been gone, to their respective master’s side, clearing away the dishes and refilling the cups.

“So?” Ciel asked from the corner of his mouth, hiding the movement by raising his glass to his lips. The blood red liquid stirred in the crystal.

Sebastian responded with a smile.

George Therinford waited until he had drained his second glass before alighting from his seat. “It has been a wonderful day in your company, Earl,” he beamed. “And I thank you. But not as much as I thank your butler.”

Ciel raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

“Very much.” Even as he spoke, his butler, sensing that the occasion was over, swayed and collapsed into his arms. Sebastian clucked in disapproval. Therinford continued, “You have completed an arduous task on my behalf, Sebastian Michaelis. It was most unlike you.”

“And it was very unlike _you_ ,” retorted Sebastian politely, “to accept such a post. A demon is, by nature, a hunter. I have distorted that nature somewhat, by being a protector. Either way, it is still a position of power, and I have met others not unlike me. But you--”

“Why did I choose to be protected, and by a human no less?” Therinford waved away Sebastian’s curiosity, his eyes glowing crimson as he lifted his butler as effortlessly as a child would a feather. “Alas, I did not. It was my butler’s—mistress, if you will—idea. Young Miss Georgia Therinford, tired of being weak, tired of being protected. She longed to be powerful, at least once, powerful enough to take hold of her destiny, and to have others acknowledge her power. She changed her fate by dealing with a demon-- me. But you, Sebastian Michaelis, you acknowledged her by fighting her with your all, as you would a fellow demon.”

“How could I not?” Sebastian was inclined to protest, “You have surrendered all your abilities as a demon to her, up to the point where I could not tell who was mortal and otherwise. You trusted your life in her hands.”

“No more than she trusted hers in mine.” The one truly named Azazel smiled, revealing gleaming fangs that he immediately retracted. “It feels good. Maybe I should continue at it for a while. It makes a refreshing change.”

Sebastian looked at his fellow demon with a light akin to awe. “Impressive,” he murmured. “A demon subjecting his eternal life to a mere soul. I have never seen the like.”

Azazel laughed. “Precisely my reaction when I heard two years ago you agreed to be a child’s slave!”

                While Sebastian bristled at the reply, Ciel smiled at the young man on the opposite of the table, and proposed a toast.   


End file.
